Rolling with bigger dudes

Can we do this thread again? I just did a search and found only two threads and they didn't go past 1 page.. so maybe another one might bring some new advice in.

What was covered in the other threads:

Don't use strength; flow from one technique to the next. Work with what they give you.

Try to tire them out. This goes hand in hand with the above advice (I suppose).

Get in more mat time

What I've been told aside from that is to not let them dictate when your guard opens; you have to open your guard on your own terms. If anyone has knows some good open guard sweeps I'd definitely check them out.

well, when i was doing submission wrestling (all of 4 lessons :p), one thing tihe instructor stressed, and which i agree with, was to move YOURSELF instead of trying to move the bigger guy, which is silly.

well, when i was doing submission wrestling (all of 4 lessons :p), one thing tihe instructor stressed, and which i agree with, was to move YOURSELF instead of trying to move the bigger guy, which is silly.

I think this is one of the more neglected teachings. I see people trying to move uke all the time.

I think this is one of the more neglected teachings. I see people trying to move uke all the time.

I agree. I am a sort of bigger guy at my gym (6'3'' 200 lbs). I see the guys who have a lot more success against me are very capable at moving themselves around the mat and making me chase them.

My question is, as a bigger guy, should I also try to move myself when rolling with smaller, weaker guys? Or should I be moving and controlling them more because I can? Which would produce better training and habits?

I always go for the back with bigger guys, and transition to side control if I have to. I find much bigger guys will rarely turtle up so getting then in side control or knee on belly isn't that difficult.

As for sweeps; I've had good luck with scissor and hook sweeps from guard. If the guy breaks my guard I go for feet in hips or bring a shin across and hook the hips to keep him from passing (setup for the scissor sweep). I'm pretty new nearly a year and a half into BJJ but i'm usually the smallest guy(165lbs) training in the 6am classes.

Try to tire them out. This goes hand in hand with the above advice (I suppose).

On that note,

Keep moving.

People who are bigger and better than I am tell me that my best bet is to always stay active, even on the defence; if they outweigh me by 40–50 lbs, then that’s a substantial amount for them to shift around; if I keep moving, forcing them to, there’s a good chance they’ll therefore tire more quickly than I will. (My conditioning is kind of ****, but it makes good sense in theory.)

As I am a bigger guy(6'3", +/-245) I can only tell you what my BJJ instructor does with the big guys in the school, of which we have several. He tells the smaller guys to move faster and keep the bigger guys guessing.

It seems like common sense, but one thing I always see is that if the smaller guys pull guard or end up in side control, they are in a world of hurt. The smaller guys always try to keep top game and move quickly. Seems to work pretty good in our school as we have some guys well over 300+ pounds.

I am only ~1 year of BJJ now, so I am probably not telling you anything you don't know or could not figure out on your own.